Title: Development of a Yeast Bio-Assay to Screen Anti-Mitochondrial Drugs
VOLUME: 6 ISSUE: 3
Author(s):Johan L.F. Kock, Chantel W. Swart, Desmond M. Ncango, Johan L.F. Kock Jr., Ingrid A. Munnik, Marleen M.J. Maartens, Carolina H. Pohl and Pieter W.J. van Wyk
Affiliation:Department of Microbial, Biochemical and Food Biotechnology, University of The Free State, P.O. Box 339, Bloemfontein, 9301, South Africa.
Keywords:Anticancer, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, anti-mitochondrion, bio-assay, yeast
Abstract: Previous studies show that acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin) at low concentrations affects yeast sexual structure development in a similar fashion than oxygen depletion. This is ascribed to its anti-mitochondrial action. In this study, we report the same for other anti-inflammatory (i.e. ibuprofen, indomethacin, salicylic acid, benzoic acid) as well as anticancer (Lonidamine) drugs, also known for inhibiting mitochondrial activity in mammalian cells. This is shown by a unique yeast bio-assay, with the mitochondrion-dependent sexual structure, riboflavin production, and hyphal morphology of the yeast Eremothecium ashbyi serving as indicators. These drugs affect this yeast in a similar way as found under oxygen limitation conditions by inhibiting sexual structure development (most sensitive), riboflavin production, and yielding characteristically wrinkled and granular hyphae, presenting a unique “anoxic” morphological pattern for this yeast. Only drugs associated with anti-mitochondrial activity presented such a pattern. This bio-assay may find application in the screening for novel drugs from various sources with anti-mitochondrial actions.
